Revealing more!

The ripping out continues as the walls are striped ready for boarding...dusty business!

And stripping has been happening upstairs! Lots of wallpaper and bathroom tiles now off.

Out with the old, but also the start of the 'in with the new'! We have boxes for new plug sockets! The luxury of plug sockets exactly where we want them! Yay!

Revealing all!

Neal's been ripping out and smashing up in a big way!

Apparently the plaster all just fell off!

                  No more sliding living room door

 <--The original parquet revealed!

The original 30's doors were either painted or boarded over. We keep them and do them up.

At last!!!!!!

We exchanged today and will complete next Friday! About bloomin' time!!! 
Now it's full steam ahead!!!.....and a bottle of cold bubbly tonight!

Week 2

We've STILL not even exchanged contracts (argh!) but work continues anyway! The sun has decided to come out in a big way so it's hot hot hot in the garden for poor Neal! He's doing an amaaaaaazing job!!!

The front garden parking space is covered with hardcore from the back garden, ready to compact down and the future planting area to the left of the path is now levelled with soil.

The trench is dug across the back ready for the new DPC, the wall along the side of the patio is now down and the side path has been Kango'd and is now level.

 The back dining room door resembles the texture of cardboard due to years of damp rot! It'll soon be replaced by new French doors.

Lots of plaster to come off before replastering happens.

There's also a trench around the front bay.

The garage is coming down with help from Peter. There's now a new fence across the back of the plot, behind the garage, so the garden will be secure....Anyone got any marshmallows to toast on a bonfire!?

I think Neal's taking his frustrations out on the garage! Also perhaps planning how his new studio will look in its place!

The summer holidays are now well under way. Me and Neal are now sleeping on an air bed at home as all our stuff is in storage. We've had to rearrange plans so many time. We just REALLY can't wait to exchange and complete before it causes any more delays!

Days 1&2

Neal's off to a cracking start!

We have a skip! (the first of a few) The grass will eventually go and become a driveway with a flower bed down the far side of the path.

The area that will become the the patio and later the extension. 

The door will be replaced by French doors and a window in place of the kitchen door and windows. Both will be ripped out when we extend, to create the open plan space.

The rubble that was the outside loo. The original coal bunker (full of coal) is visible against the right fence.

The garage with the controversial asbestos roof removed. It will be knocked down and replaced by a studio at the end of the garden.

Neal mowing the lawn with what looks like an original 1930's mover...and it works!

What a welcome, a load of crap and a traffic cone. Just like student days!

The master bedroom with wardrobes removed.

Jasmine's bedroom with the wardrobes removed.

Jasmine at home by the fireside!

So, what's the plan!??

Take 2 artists, a ruin of a house and a bit of creativity!


Here's what's going on in our heads!...

The guided tour of what we're dealing with!

Here's a tour of the house that we hope to call home!...

...the kitchen with everything gone but the kitchen sink! (and this is BEFORE we've started work on it!) It will be lovely one day!

 The living room/dining room (mmm, 70's carpet hiding the original parquet!)

 <-- Mmmm!!!

 The master bedroom in all its loveliness!

<-- A lovely bit of decor!

Jasmine's room with its view of the back garden

 <-- The 3rd box bedroom

 The original 1930's bathroom (complete with original deco sink, taps and mirror!)

 The back garden

 <-- The original outside loo!

Are we mad!!?? Apparently not...but we'll see!